Page 18 of Still Here Without You

I’m in shock as I listen to the voice on the other end of the line, and when I hang up, I can barely hold it together. I need to tell someone, and the first person I think of is Joel. He’ll be here. He told me he always supports Dylan. I need to find him. With that, I throw my bag over my shoulder and run.

Chapter Seven

Joel

Idropdownontothe seat next to Dylan’s sister, Lucy, and sigh. “This morning has been a shit show. My bike’s having issues. I hate when she’s not in perfect shape and… What are you staring at?”

“The new captain is hot. Don’t you think?” Lucy says with a straight face, eyes never leaving the field. I turn to face her as she watches the guys warming up. She brushes her golden-brown hair out of her eyes with a smile, and when I follow her sightline, I see she’s watching Thomas. I’ve met him a few times, and Dylan seems to think he’s a good guy. Maybe even good enough for his big sister, although probably not. Lucy turns to me as if expecting an answer, and I laugh.

“Oh yes, he’s gorgeous! I’m thinking I’ll try my luck with him after the game today. Do you think I've got a shot?” I hold my hands to my chest and bat my eyelids as Lucy shoves me in the shoulder.

“I meant for me, douchebag.”

“That’s disappointing. But I guess you can…” I trail off as the cheer squad runs onto the field. Delilah is third out of the tunnel, and as soon as my eyes find her, they’re locked there. As hard as I try—which, let’s face it, isn’t that hard—I can’t seem to break the stare I have on her. From her fit body in the tight, barely-there uniform, to the way her tits bounce as she jumps around.What the fuck? It’s Delilah.We may have had a couple of nice moments, but she’s still the same pain in my ass—too sassy for her own good—Delilah. And fuck, does she look good in uniform.

“Hello. Earth to Joel.”

Huh?

“Joel!”

Oomf!Lucy’s fist connects with my shoulder, and God, it hurts. I snap out of my daze and rub at the pain. “What the fuck was that for? You’re supposed to be Dylan’s annoying sister, not mine.”

“We both know I’mjustas annoying toyou, but you still love me.”

“Whatever. What do you want?”

She snags her bottom lip with her teeth and grins like she knows something I don’t before shaking her head without answering.

“God, you’re painful.” I laugh.

Lucy laughs too, then turns back to look at the field. “Good-looking team, aren’t they?”

“Yes, yes. They’re a bunch of strong, masculine hotties,” I deadpan. “Are we back on this again? I can’t set you up with Thomas. We’re not that close. And I’m pretty sure Dylan would veto it. You know, with you being his big sister and all.”

“I’m talking about the cheer squad,” she says, motioning in their direction.

When I look back at the field, it takes less than a second to find Delilah again, and I swallow a lump in my throat before answering. “They’re all right, I suppose.”

“You suppose?” Luce laughs and turns to face me again. “Which one’s Delilah?”

What the fuck? Dylan and his big mouth.

“The one in the cheer uniform,” I say, waving my hand in the general direction of the squad.

“Hilarious. Either way, I lost five bucks.”

My eyes flash to hers. “The fuck?”

“Dylan bet me five bucks that you had a thing for Delilah. And he was right. You completely zoned out when the cheer squad arrived. This isn’t the first game we’ve been to together, Joely Boy. You don’t care about the cheer girls. You’re here to support your friends. At least, you used to be. So which one is she? We can swoon together.”

“Fuck off,” I say, rolling my eyes, but then add, “She’s the redhead. Near the front of the pack. And why are you so happy if you lost?”

Lucy’s eyes scan the team, moving from one girl to the next. I know the moment she finds Delilah, because her face lights up and she squeals.

“Damn, Joel. She’s gorgeous,” she gushes, ignoring my other question.

My eyes find Delilah once more, watching as she lifts her leg, pulling her calf close to her ear.Fuck me.“I haven’t really noticed,” I lie, unconvincingly. “Too busy focusing on helping her pass.”

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